The Atlanta Braves have won a playoff series for the first time in 19 years thanks to their 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series.      

After outlasting the Reds in a 1-0 13-inning win in Game 1, the Braves were in the driver's seat at their home ballpark. Rookie Ian Anderson, who had a 1.95 ERA during the regular season, took the mound looking to send his team to the NLDS. 

Thursday's game started out looking like another difficult day for the offenses until the Braves broke the scoreless tie in the fifth when Austin Riley scored on Ronald Acuna Jr.'s RBI double. 

Marcell Ozuna delivered the knockout blow in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-run home run off Raisel Iglesias. Adam Duvall provided insurance later in the inning when he hit a two-run homer. 

Following Max Fried's lead from the series opener, Anderson stymied Cincinnati's lineup with six scoreless innings to get the win in his postseason debut.   

Notable Game Stats

• Ian Anderson (ATL): 6 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 9 K
• Ronald Acuna Jr. (ATL): 3-for-4, 2B, RBI
• Adam Duvall (ATL): 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K 
• Marcell Ozuna (ATL): 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K
• Luis Castillo (CIN): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, BB, 7 K
• Nick Castellanos (CIN): 0-for-4, 3 K
• Joey Votto (CIN): 0-for-4, 2 K

Anderson, Acuna Carry Braves to NLDS 

If there's a formula for the Braves to have playoff success, it's safe to assume the names Anderson, Acuna and Freddie Freeman are part of it. 

After Freeman delivered the winning hit in Game 1, Anderson and Acuna took their turns in the spotlight Thursday. 

Acuna is already a superstar at age 22. He had a fantastic run in the NLDS last year against the St. Louis Cardinals (.444/.565/.889), but his October showcase was cut short when the Braves lost in five games. 

While it's still early in this postseason, Acuna is picking up right where he left off in 2019:

The Braves got good results from the hitters behind Acuna on Thursday when Ozuna and Duvall put the game away in the eighth inning. 

But Acuna is the leadoff hitter and table-setter for Atlanta's offense. His clutch hit in Game 2 is a good sign as the team looks ahead to the NLDS. 

Another good sign for the Braves is the job done by their top two starters. Anderson had a tough act to follow after Max Fried tossed seven scoreless innings against the Reds on Wednesday. He was more than up to the challenge with six shutout innings. 

Per The Athletic's Robert Murray, Anderson has been highly regarded dating back to his time as a draft prospect in 2016:

The Braves got Anderson with the third pick that year. He began this season at their alternate site before getting called up Aug. 25. The New York native stabilized a rotation behind Fried that only had one other pitcher who made at least five starts and posted an ERA under 5.00 (Josh Tomlin: 4.76). 

Fried and Anderson will have to carry the starting rotation if the Braves want to have a deep playoff run. Both of them passed their first tests with flying colors and are lined up to take the mound for the first two games of the NLDS. 

Reds' Future Still Bright Despite Quick Playoff Exit

Even though this postseason didn't go the way Cincinnati hoped, the franchise has many reasons to be optimistic about its immediate and long-term future. 

Castillo keeps getting better, as the right-hander set career highs in 2020 with 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings, a 2.65 FIP and a 148 ERA+, per Baseball Reference. 

Acuna took advantage of Castillo's one mistake in this game, but otherwise, Atlanta had no answer for the Reds starter. 

Cincinnati's starting rotation should be among the best in MLB next season. Castillo and Sonny Gray (3.70 ERA, 72 strikeouts in 56 innings) will be back. Tyler Mahle, 26, had a 3.59 ERA in 10 appearances this year. 

The big question is if the Reds will be able to re-sign Trevor Bauer. The right-hander could win the NL Cy Young Award after he posted a 1.73 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 73 innings. But their rotation depth is excellent, with prospects such as Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene making their way through the system. 

A lot of criticism will be heaped on the Reds hitters, especially for their inability to score a run in two games against Atlanta. The team already invested heavily in that group last offseason, signing Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos to four-year contracts. 

Scoring was a problem for the Reds throughout 2020. Their 243 runs scored during the regular season were the second-fewest of any playoff team, behind the St. Louis Cardinals (240). It's worth noting the Cardinals played two fewer games than Cincinnati. 

Despite those issues, though, this entire season is unusual. It's hard to envision a scenario in which a lineup that features Castellanos, Moustakas, Joey Votto, Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker and Nick Senzel will be this bad again. 

Cincinnati has a nucleus in place to compete for a National League Central title in 2021. 

What's Next?

The Braves will play the winner of the Miami Marlins-Chicago Cubs series in the NLDS at Minute Maid Park in Houston starting on Oct. 6.